The Air We Breathe
by hasu86
Summary: The first time she saw him was when she was five. The second time he was already in too deep. And the third time her young heart was stolen. Non-Massacre. Ita/Saku. Complete.
1. Part I

Disclaimer: Naruto and any of its characters do not belong to me.

* * *

**The Air We Breathe**

_Part I _

* * *

_The first time Sakura saw him was when she was five. _

She had been with her mother on the busy market streets of Konoha when she'd spotted the darkest black hair she'd ever seen, the darkest black eyes she'd ever seen. But the moment she had blinked those bright emeralds of hers he had vanished as if he'd never been there at all.

_The second time Sakura saw him was two years later after her seventh birthday. _

It had been raining the whole day and as they ran out of the Academy, he was standing by the tree with the wooden swing. She quietly watched as her classmate Uchiha Sasuke ran over to him with a surprised grin on his face. And she watched them walk away in the rain, a large black umbrella held above them.

Her young heart had been curious…maybe even stolen.

_The first time Sakura heard his voice was a year later. _

They weren't supposed to be out on the training grounds but Uzumaki Naruto had insisted that in order to become the best ninjas they could possibly be some observing needed to be done. She, along with Sasuke had been reluctantly dragged along on his little adventure. They quietly hid in a tree only to have several shuriken come spiraling at them and they would've been pinned to the trunk if they hadn't conveniently fallen off the tree limb and onto the grass. He had stood over them with a displeased look on his face before telling Sasuke to go home and stay out of trouble. She had thought to herself then that he had a very nice voice, one that she wanted to hear again.

_The first time Sakura ever talked to him was when she was ten. _

Standing outside the Uchiha Compound during Christmas Eve was the only way she could think of to get Sasuke's present to him. A few hard knocks and shakes on the wooden gate and still no one came and she wondered what they were all doing. About to just leave the small box wrapped in green in hopes that someone would find it and bring it in, she spotted a figure walking towards her and realized that it was him. He stopped in front of her with a dark brow raised, asked her what she wanted.

She had then thrust the green wrapped box in front of her. "Can you please give this to Sasuke-kun?"

He had looked at her for a long intense moment before taking the present.

"Thank you Uchiha-san and Merry Christmas." She had smiled at him before turning around and heading back home. Her heart she wore on the sleeve of her shirt captured, caged, and all aflutter.

It would be every so often after that Christmas Eve when she would see him. They were small insignificant glimpses though, here and there where she would catch the flutter of his ebony hair or the sleekness of his body among the crowded streets of Konoha, sometimes streaking across the rooftops. But they were never enough for her, never enough to sate the confusing longing she felt.

Life however, was happening at the speed of light all around her for her to linger on this Uchiha who had captured her young and impressionable heart. Friends and boys. Studies and girly mischief. Each day blurred into the next until everything suddenly came to a screeching halt and the air was ripped from her lungs.

Breathless and alone, she found her heart breaking on that sunny shimmering day, heard the birds singing and saw the bluest blue skies this side of heaven had to give when Hokage-sama told her her parents were _dead_.

Sakura didn't make the graduation ceremony that would officially declare her a genin that day. She didn't celebrate with Naruto and Sasuke or the rest of the Rookie Nine. She was too busy trying not to break into a million little pieces. She was too numb to care about her future because all she really wanted was to relive her past where everyone there was still breathing.

Nothing was ever quite the same after.

Her home had been sold—too many happy memories there that left her heart aching she had told the Sandaime. He helped her find a one bedroom apartment because he'd been good friends with her parents who were among Konoha's best shinobi. He felt it was the least he could do.

Sakura had asked him if he did this for every child—for all the Naruto's and the Sakura's—whose parents had died for the Leaf. Maybe she had surprised him a little because despite what others thought of her and her natural pink hair, she was actually quite intelligent and insightful. He'd only patted her head though and heaved a lengthy sigh. His silence had been enough of an answer.

Later, as the heavens cried and everyone said their final goodbyes to their beloved Hokage, she would come to realize that he had suffered just as much pain and regret as the she and the rest of the kids just like her. Perhaps even more so since he was the one who gave the final missions and orders to be carried out by the shinobi of the Leaf.

She wondered how he or any Kage or team leader for that matter coped with losing their people when it was partly their duty to protect them. And she thought then, while the rain fell and she gazed sadly at his cold departed body encased in the finest glass that they had to be some of the strongest sort of people, the most admirable and loving. Perhaps that was why shinobi risked their lives for their Kage and village. Perhaps it was more than duty, more than just the honor that went with it. Maybe it was a genuine love and an unbreakable commitment that allowed them to fight with every fiber of their being—their lives the ultimate cost.

It was with a new understanding that Sakura continued life as it was, forging an unclear path for herself.

It wasn't an easy thing being on the same team as Sasuke, Naruto, and Hatake Kakashi though. The feelings of inadequacy were sometimes near unbearable and she found herself gazing at their backs more often than she cared to admit. In her eyes they were more than just their last names and their 

lineages. They were stronger than her. Better than her. Faster and more driven. They had purpose and somewhere along the way, Sakura had wondered where hers' had gone off too—wondered if she ever had one to begin with.

It was a year later, at thirteen years old when she entered her apprenticeship with the Godaime, the Legendary Sannin Tsunade.

And it was when she would begin to find herself, grow into her own as time sped by all around her.

It was also when she would once again catch those small insignificant glimpses of Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

_The first time Itachi saw her was when he was ten. _

She'd been such a tiny little thing. A walking, breathing cherry blossom. How could he not notice her when she stuck out like a sore thumb among the market crowd? Bright and innocent forest green eyes, _pink_ hair. She was like a little sprite, belonging more to the forest than this shinobi village. She could be no older than his younger brother and yet, she'd effortlessly caught his attention.

He was gone before he could get in too deep.

_The second time Itachi saw her was a year and a half later. _

He'd just returned from a mission with his three man cell. Upon passing the small park on the way to the Hokage Tower a flash of pink had caught his onyx eyes. And there she was, the little forest sprite with shining emeralds for eyes chasing a blond boy whom he recognized as his brother's friend also.

Her laugh was light and carefree, untainted by the reality they all lived in. He wondered how long she would remain innocent and naïve…quietly hoped that it was far longer than he because truth be told, he kind of liked the sound of her laugh…the brightness in her eyes.

And he knew then that he was already in too deep.

_The third time Itachi saw her was six months later. _

It had been raining that day and since he had nothing better to do (he'd trained all morning and his next mission didn't begin until tomorrow) and Sasuke had forgotten his umbrella, he decided to be the caring older brother and fetch the little brat from the Academy. At least then he wouldn't have to listen to his mother hover all over her drenched little baby while shooting daggers at him for not showing a little more brotherly affection.

And as he stood by the tree with the wooden swing, he saw her run out with the other eager students only to stop and look directly at him. He saw the curiosity flicker across those green windows to her soul. It appeared she was just as intrigued by him as he was of her.

_The first time Itachi let her hear him was when he was thirteen. _

He had opted for the more spacious training ground four instead of the usual ANBU grounds because he'd wanted to test out a new earth jutsu he'd acquired on his latest mission. A rustle in the second tree to his left told him he had visitors and with a few easy flicks of his wrist, sent his shuriken flying. And as he amusedly watched his younger brother and his two friends fall to the ground, he made his way over to the peeping trio.

His dark eyes which moments ago held the Sharingan darted to the pink haired sprite who was currently a jumble of awkward limbs and muttering lips before straying to Sasuke and telling him to go back to the compound and stay out of trouble. He wondered what the breathing cherry blossom thought of his voice now that she'd heard him speak.

_The first time she spoke to him was on his fifteenth Christmas Eve._

For the sake of what little sanity he had left, he had managed to escape the Uchiha Compound and all the party planning that had taken over almost every Uchiha female. Now nearing mid afternoon and with a slight chill to the air, he had deemed it safe to return.

And so, as he neared the wooden gates that led into his home, he was pleasantly surprised to find the little forest sprite in front of the gates. Seeing the small green package in her hand hinted as to why she was here but he feigned ignorance and asked her anyway.

"Can you please give this to Sasuke-kun?" The little package was thrust in front of her, a pleading look in her eyes.

He regarded her for a few long moments. Her delicate nose and high cheekbones. The pink brows and the milky skin with a touch of pink from the winter chill. She was going to be a beautiful kunoichi one day.

He took the package and watched a genuine smile only she could give curve her rosy lips.

"Thank you Uchiha-san and Merry Christmas."

He never gave her present to Sasuke. He rather liked the simple black friendship ring that dangled on a silver chain necklace. He rather liked it around his _own_ neck.

Itachi hardly ever saw her after that. Being the genius he was, ANBU kept him busy day in and day out. And whatever spare time he was able to gather was sucked up by clan affairs he couldn't care less about. His father was adamant that he know everything concerning the Uchiha clan while his mother admonished Fugaku for being so stringent on his eldest son.

The clan elders were constant thorns in his side but they dared not cross him, knowing what they did about his skills. He and his brother were the future of the clan after all. He (and his mother for that matter) had no qualms about letting them know that if they desired this future, they would do well to limit their interference and prodding.

Occupied by his way of life, Itachi slowly dashed her from his mind. But he would hear snippets about her from time to time from his brother. 'Her parents died.' 'She lives alone.' 'She's training under the Hokage.'

And as the years went by, as the countless ANBU missions ate up his sands of time, he found himself desiring to see her more than he wanted to admit. He was curious to lay eyes on this Haruno Sakura after going without her for so long. He was curious to see if she still sparked his intrigue…if he still sparked hers.

* * *

Glimpses of Uchiha Itachi were more than enough for her but this…this was a bit much.

Now twenty two years old, she had labeled whatever her young heart had felt as mere curiosity. Childish intrigue. Longing for something she could never have. And it was the truth…at least most of it anyway. So maybe it'd been a little crush, but that was the past and the past seemed more far away than ever before.

"Stay with me, Tiger." Sakura whispered as she darted through the trees, supporting his weight. They had taken to calling each other code names because one could never be too careful. Better safe than sorry they figured.

Shisui gave a wobbly nod against her shoulder, his high ponytail in disarray and too exhausted and bleeding to death to do anything more. Sakura then glanced—still peeved that he hadn't allowed her to join the fight but in the end self satisfied when she did anyway—ahead of her where their ANBU Captain supported their fourth wounded teammate, Shiranui Genma. She had managed to close his chest wound with what little time they had during their escape but it had been quick, meant to stagger the blood flow only and she was afraid it would reopen.

She didn't even want to think about Itachi. Even though he seemed invincible with his Sharingan and all, he was still a living breathing human being and that meant he could bleed and hurt. It meant he _was_ hurt if the blood seeping through his vest and staining it a deep red wasn't obvious enough. But there wasn't time because even though they had killed the enemy, they still needed to get as far away as possible. With only the moonlight to guide them through the darkness, it was imperative they find a safe place to stop so she could start the healing immediately. Already Shisui was starting to lose consciousness from all the blood loss.

Sakura heaved an internal sigh of relief when they finally descended and hurried into a barely noticeable cave. Whipping her mask off, she gently placed Shisui on the ground, heard him groan with pain and dug through her pack for a flashlight. A fire wasn't safe in the off chance that they had gained pursuers and she wasn't willing to risk it either. A quick glance to her left told her Itachi had also placed Genma on the ground. When he leaned against the cold rock surface of the cave for support she knew time was of essence, that even though these men were three very capable shinobi who would fight to live, sometimes even they needed help.

And so she instantly got into medic mode and took an inventory of Shisui's injuries. Three deep lacerations to his middle that nearly cut him open, a mild concussion, a dislocated shoulder, and bruises and cuts aplenty. Brushing his long hair aside, Sakura expertly weaved her healing chakra into his system, slowly and methodically sealing the lacerations as he slipped into unconsciousness. She then popped his shoulder back into place and rapidly bandaged him up before moving on to Genma.

By then Itachi had shoved away from the wall and walked out of the cave, no doubt to secure their surroundings. She was going to protest, insist he stay put so as to not agitate his already seeping wound but his eyes said it all. _'Don't. Just heal them.'_ And so she acquiesced with his silent demand because truthfully, she trusted him and his judgment. They wouldn't have made it out alive otherwise.

Genma's breathing was severely labored as she worked on his deep chest wound. Her chakra accelerated his cell regeneration and as the minutes crawled by and perspiration trickled down her temple, Sakura was able to fully heal the wound, nothing but fresh sensitive skin in its wake. He'd lost consciousness moments before and so she went to work on his fractured leg, mending bone and muscle.

By the time she was done Itachi had reentered the cave with quick purposeful strides, as if he wasn't injured at all. She stood up, wiping bloodstained hands on her skintight black pants and just as quickly walked over to him. All the while her keen emerald eyes were scanning his body, mentally noting his external wounds and linking possible internal ones.

He keeled over just in time for her to catch him, but he immediately attempted to push off her shoulders. Sakura slapped his hands away before lowering him to the ground, a fierce scowl on her face that equally matched the prodigious Uchiha's.

Medic Sakura was currently in control and she'd be damned if anyone under her care wasn't treated to the best of her ability because they refused to shove aside their stubbornness and male pride long enough for her to save their sorry asses.

Straddling his legs, she looked directly into his hard onyx eyes, unafraid and unyielding. "Please be cooperative Uchiha-san. Hokage-sama would have my head if I didn't bring you back alive. Now, remove your vest and undershirt."

Itachi made no move to comply and was that…_amusement_ flickering across his eyes? A spark of _challenge_ even? She mentally shook her head. Now was not the time to be seeing things. Inhaling a deep calming breath, Sakura resisted the urge to pound something into oblivion, namely Uchiha Itachi.

"_Please_ Uchiha-san. Medic's honor that I won't touch you longer than necessary. Now, can we please get past this so you don't bleed to death?"

The tension in her shoulders relaxed when he nodded, the motion barely perceptible. Her hands made quick work of his bloody vest and undershirt and after she set them aside, Sakura immediately channeled healing chakra to her hands and began to probe his body with her soothing touch. She ignored the stiffening of his frame, but was glad when he relaxed a few moments later.

It was an ugly, jagged sword wound coupled with broken ribs and chakra depletion. She knew though that if it hadn't been for him, they'd all be getting tortured or maybe even dead.

"Shisui and Genma should be fine." Sakura murmured into the thick silence surrounding them, thinking he would probably like to know about the statuses of their conditions.

And then she tilted her head as green eyes narrowed, leaned closer to see better with her little flashlight.

"Poison…" She murmured. "But it's weak. Nothing I can't handle." And she pressed her hand to his side and soon lost herself in repairing the bone and separated muscle and skin, drowned herself in her teammates' shallow and steadying breaths all around her.

**…**

Missions were ever rarely what they seemed on the surface which was why he always prided himself on being one step ahead, on anticipating his opponent's next action. Genius though he was, the odds had been against them when the hundred or so soldiers mixed with weak rogue shinobi had descended upon them after Genma had assassinated their leader's second in command. A senbon would soon meet its true target moments later, but by then they'd all been engrossed in a fierce battle of survival.

With his Sharingan spinning death, he'd taken down enemy after enemy. Quick glances around him and he saw his cousin faring decently along with Shiranui. But he had forbidden Sakura from getting into this mess (her flare of anger had burned in her eyes but he knew she would come to understand). He knew they would all need her operating at full capacity in the aftermath that was to come.

The sword wound and broken ribs he'd suffered was courtesy of saving Shisui's life at the last possible second. But it was shortly after when he felt Sakura's chakra surge beneath him and grabbing both his severely wounded teammates, flickered to the safety of the trees just in time to avoid the crumbling earth, the magnificent splitting and shattering of the ground beneath them as it swallowed the unsuspecting enemy.

He'd felt his fascination and extreme displeasure—he wasn't one to tolerate disobedience but maybe, just maybe he'd make an exception for her just this once—for her so strongly in that moment when he saw her straighten from her crouched position, clad in ANBU gear that shouldn't look nearly as enticing as it did on her.

But all thoughts had been pushed aside when she hurried over and quickly did the best she could to seal Genma's wound in the little time they had. Taking Shisui into her arms, she promptly ignored his glare and followed him into the impending darkness of the surrounding forest. Never one to delude himself, he realized the extent of his own injury, realized his chakra was low and that his team would die if he didn't find safe shelter as soon as possible so Sakura could start healing them.

It was after some time and enough distance put between them and any possible pursuers that he had led them to the cave he'd noted on the way to the assassination point. And now as he sat against the cold stone rock letting the medic heal him, he couldn't help but notice how much she'd changed from that innocent little forest sprite all those years ago when he'd first laid eyes on her.

When he'd requested a capable medic for this mission, he hadn't been expecting the Godaime's apprentice. Not the woman who over the years had become like a daughter to their childless Hokage. It also wasn't how he pictured meeting her again after so long. But he could hardly complain as she straddled his thighs and sent her soothing chakra tingling over his skin, acting as if she _belonged_ there.

Uchiha prodigy he may be but he was still a male, albeit a wounded chakra drained male but a male nonetheless with a beautiful woman (he was of course correct when he'd predicted she would be, once she grew into her own) in such close contact. Even if it was strictly medical in nature.

Itachi knew then that yes, he was indeed still intrigued by this Haruno Sakura. Perhaps even more so now than ever before…

**…**

"Sleep Uchiha-san. You need it to recover your chakra." Sakura said once she was done.

She stood up and with feline grace stretched out the kinks in her back and legs before rolling her eyes in annoyance when the ANBU captain moved to do the same. But of course she couldn't allow him to do so and she was perfectly willing to use some of her chakra enhanced strength to get her point across if need be.

"_Sleep, Uchiha-san_." She ordered in her no nonsense tone.

And she would have squirmed a little (or maybe a lot) when she was subjected to the infamous death glare that only those of the Uchiha clan possessed but she had long since grown immune to them. Having Sasuke for a friend and teammate did that to a person.

"And I suppose you'll take up watch duty?" He asked dryly.

"I'd say at the moment, I'm the better choice." She replied, understanding now why he wanted her to stay out of the fight. He knew they would need her one hundred percent after all was said and done.

"Don't worry Uchiha-san. I'm quite capable." Sakura smiled, heard his quiet 'hn' and turned around, intent on doing a quick check on her other two teammates. Seeing Shisui's torn uniform, she slipped off her bloodstained vest and placed it over him. He'd need the warmth on this chilly night.

On her way towards the narrow opening of the cave, she tossed a glance at Itachi from over her shoulder and saw with what little light there was, his eyes closed, the regulated breathing and steady rise and fall of his chest.

No, going on an S-class mission with him and his ANBU team hadn't been her idea of reacquainting with him. Not that she was acquainted with the elusive Uchiha to begin with, but she would've been perfectly content with what little she had from the past and the occasional glimpse now and then around the Hokage tower or the hospital.

But now, as she sat herself as comfortable as possible on a strong tree limb directly in front of the cave, Sakura felt that all too familiar nibble of curiosity.

She was feeling five, seven, eight and ten years old all over again.

And she was trying to decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

* * *

**_...to be continued…_**

* * *


	2. Part II

Disclaimer: Naruto and any of its characters do not belong to me.

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**The Air We Breathe**

_Part II _

* * *

Sakura was _tired_.

And she didn't want to be here.

It wasn't so much the company as it was the atmosphere. How could they be this _happy_ consuming alcohol as if it was water? How could they laugh and shout and smile as if they didn't have a care in the world? They were all shinobi—

And she realized then that she was being absolutely ridiculous.

Of course…._they were all shinobi_. Why wouldn't they be laughing and smiling? Why wouldn't they be drowning in their choice of liquid poison? They didn't know if this would be the last time they'd get to enjoy the company of friends instead of foes so why not celebrate as if every day was a party? They needed a way to wash the blood and memories from their hands anyway, make the red bleed to black in their minds…if only temporarily with friends and alcohol.

Yes. Sakura was being incredibly ridiculous.

So when had she become so pessimistic?

She was usually happy right? Sometimes even sickeningly so.

Damn but she was tired. And she really _really_ didn't want to be here.

Maybe it was the people who had died on her today—the two jounin, one chuunin and an unlucky civilian who weren't able to be saved in time. Their deaths had hung heavy in the hospital, almost tangible and so very very stifling.

She needed to go home.

And so Sakura turned to a giggling Ino and had to raise her voice in order to say goodbye. She did the same to the others at the table and they didn't protest. Maybe they saw how weary she looked, like she'd been dragged to hell and back one too many times.

For a moment she looked around for Naruto and Sasuke, even Kakashi but remembered that just yesterday they had set out on a long term mission to Wave Country. And the time away…two months at the least. She had been scheduled to go with them, but with the hospital being so short staffed, Tsunade could no longer afford to lose her for so a long a time. Plans hardly ever turned out the way she wanted them to anyway and so Hinata had had to take her place.

Which was fine of course. Really…it was all fine.

But besides the occasional mission (like the one with a certain Uchiha Itachi two weeks ago—she was trying not to linger on him, it was just a mission after all and…and a night spent on a tree limb under the moonlight) she spent most, if not all of her time at the hospital. Being short on medics was always a hectic time and since she was the most skilled medic next to Shizune and the Hokage herself and with them constantly being immersed in meetings and more meetings, she was on call most, if not all the time.

Trudging along in the night, Sakura wished she was already home right now in her modestly sized apartment (the same one the Sandaime had procured for her all those years ago). She wished…she really didn't know what else she wished for.

Her bed with its mountain of pillows perhaps? Yes, that would do nicely. Her bed and maybe a shower if she was up to it.

It was only by sheer force of will that she made it to the door of her home without giving up and crashing on a bench or tree limb somewhere. A few minutes later she was stumbling through the door of her apartment, kicking off her boots and midway through shedding her clothes as she walked to her room—sometime after taking off her mesh shirt and black pants—Sakura froze and clad only in a tank top and boy short panties, slowly turned towards the double windows in her living room.

She wasn't sure if she was hallucinating or not. Maybe all the stress and lack of sleep was finally making her lose her mind, shred the last bits of her sanity. But Kami help her, she recognized that chakra signature all too well. She had stored it to memory since last they saw each other two weeks ago and…and what the hell was he doing in her apartment at eleven pm in the middle of the night?

Her past adolescent fascination aside, she was tired and entertaining company just wasn't on her list of things to do at the moment. Not that his presence wasn't welcome, it just wasn't wanted right now. Maybe he could come back tomorrow or the day after when she wasn't so bone weary tired and felt like crying but didn't because strong kunoichi did not cry.

Releasing a sigh, Sakura leaned her shoulder against the white wall to her left, rested her head against the cool surface. "What can I do for you Uchiha-san?"

Itachi didn't answer. Instead he simply stood there, almost motionless by her window, arms casually crossed over his chest and onyx eyes staring intently at her, at all that she was—is. He perused her body, shadowed but not completely hidden and a small part of him wondered if she cared about the state of her undress in front of a male, especially a male with as much prowess as he. Her stance told him she was comfortable in her own skin, her eyes too as they questioningly drifted over him.

He was quite pleased she wasn't exuding the customary nervousness or instant infatuation so many of her gender exhibited when they saw him. She hadn't during the mission. He didn't expect her to now. But he could tell she was tired and low on chakra, if only by her lack of immediate response to his presence within her home. He could've easily slit her throat multiple times in the time it took for her to realize there was another presence besides her own in the apartment.

Pushing away from the window he walked towards her, much like a prowler on the hunt with deep dark eyes and purpose, calculation in every step. And Sakura watched in suspended fascination the moonlight play on his aristocratic and pristine features. He moved with barely a sound as he came ever closer until stopping in front of her, until all she could see was his chest and shoulders, his pale lean neck.

Sakura breathed him in. Felt him touch her half a moment later when he dragged an inquisitive finger down the side of her face. She resisted the urge to close her tired eyes and lean into his touch, his warmth. She fought against the temptation to sate her burning curiosity that revolved around all that was Uchiha Itachi.

Sakura took a safe step back, needing distance between them because she was tired and sleepy and her mind just wasn't functioning right.

"Do you do this often?" She asked.

He raised a brow as amusement chased itself across his eyes. "Your traps are decent at best. I'd suggest updating them."

"I'll make a mental note." Sakura said dryly.

Not caring—though perhaps she should, it was finding the energy to do so that was the difficult part—Sakura turned around. But she was a polite person by nature so the apology she threw back was almost automatic. "I'm sorry for not really being hospitable Uchiha-san. But it's been a long, draining day and all I want to do right now is sleep everything away."

She paused then, by the frame of her bedroom door and tossed a small enigmatic smile over her shoulder as those green eyes of hers drifted half mast in weariness. "You know the way out."

"Be ready for the mission tomorrow, _Sakura_. Everything you need is on your table. We leave at noon."

* * *

Sakura brought her back to consciousness with a powerful surge of chakra and as honey brown eyes fluttered open, she healed over the large bleeding wound by the girl's temple.

"Don't worry. We're here to get you out and back home where you belong." Sakura assured, trying to impart as much feminine comfort as she could but the girl still looked so frightened and broken.

"Two minutes." Itachi whispered, hearing the thunder of running footsteps get louder and louder with each passing second.

Knowing that time was running out, Sakura held out her hand and looked beseechingly at the young girl they'd come to save from this dark prison. "Please, I'm not here to harm you. _Trust me_."

It seemed like a lifetime in those few critical moments but when she reached out a trembling hand, Sakura gently grasped it and pulled her onto her back, noting the sob of pain as her legs spread to grip her hips. And as she checked to make sure the girl was secure—her arms wrapped tightly around the kunoichi's shoulders and neck—Sakura wished those dirty bastards all to hell a million times over.

She glanced at Itachi, nodded and within a heartbeat they were taking off down the wet and dingy basement prison, flying up stars as his Sharingan and ninjaken spun and killed, as his hands worked furiously through seal after seal to wipe a clean path for them.

Sweat trickled down her face from beneath the feline mask while she sent a steady stream of soothing chakra up the girl's legs and back to ease her pain. Whimpering and dry sobs filled her ears but it was all she could do to calm the girl's fears.

Shisui joined them as soon as they emerged from the compound, Kiba a moment later with a giant Akamaru. Genma had been assigned an S-class solo mission and was due back in a few days so the Inuzuka was currently his replacement. Their tracking abilities had been extremely helpful however in their search for the High Lord's daughter.

It was then that a barrage of arrows descended upon them. It was then that the thundering footsteps heard earlier shattered the quiet around them and all was thrown into chaos.

Itachi's katon incinerated the flying weapons and as bodies collided and Shisui's own Sharingan flared blood red, Sakura rained sharp kunai to clear a path in front of them for escape. Akamaru and Kiba tore limbs from bodies. Sharp canine teeth bit into skin and muscle and bone, two forms acting as one.

Sakura shifted to the right to avoid a flying spear, making sure the girl clinging to her back would remain safe and unharmed. She jumped into the air, sent a spinning kick enhanced with chakra towards the two enemies attacking and on her descent, landed hard enough to crack the earth beneath her so as to swallow them up.

She didn't have the time to see how her teammates were doing, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew they were faring well. If the amount of enemy bodies splattered across the ground wasn't an indication, then the terrified screams and shouts of agony as they were no doubt caught in genjutsus and canine jaws certainly were.

But half a pulse later, after she'd broken a man's jaw, the glint of sharp steel caught the corner of her eyes. _Too close. _Sakura immediately swung the girl around to her front and not even a breath later felt the hot blade slice clean through her ANBU uniform, hit and cut diagonally through the flesh and muscle on her back where the horrified girl had been only mere seconds before. It was all she could do to save the mission—the High Lord's daughter they'd been ordered to rescue from his old enemy.

Sakura stared into her crying honey eyes through all the pain and blood coursing over her broken skin. "It's okay. Just…hold on."

And swinging around, once again settling the young girl onto her bloody back, she evaded the second strike, her free hand darting out to crush bone through dirty flesh. He screamed out, dark eyes furious as he clutched his now useless right arm. The fall of his defenses was all Sakura needed to flicker behind him and sever his jugular with a clean swipe of her kunai.

She heaved a strained breath, tried to regulate the last of her chakra, delay for as long as she could her body's reaction to her injury and all the blood she was losing. But she would need it healed soon, or at 

the very least stop the blood loss. The poor girl was probably already stained in the crimson bleeding from her sword wound.

"We need to get out of here." Shisui said as he appeared at her left, chest heaving with the exertion of battle after everyone had been dealt with.

Sakura found that she couldn't agree more.

So after Itachi quickly performed a jutsu, sent everything up in dark black ash, they raced through the trees to the rendezvous point. But the ANBU captain noticed there was something off about his medic and after motioning for Shisui to take the lead, fell back in stride with Sakura.

"Let me take her."

Sakura felt the instant tightening of the girl's arms around her neck, felt the way her heartbeat quickened and her breath grow erratic with what could only be fear and distrust.

"You can't. She's been…" Sakura hissed when sharp pain shot through her back. "She'll only panic and I—we—can't afford to lose any more time."

He looked to the shivering girl, sudden understanding showing in his dark eyes and it was then he noted the spreading stain on their mission's torn and filthy dress. The reason behind why his medic was pale and much slower than usual.

He didn't say anything though, knowing that now was not the time and trusting that Sakura could handle herself. But after, he thought. After they rendezvoused with the High Lord and handed over his daughter, he would deal with her.

* * *

It was under the cover of a dense outcropping of trees and supported by Shisui that Sakura was finally able to assess the damage her body had taken. Breathing heavily, she inwardly cursed when she realized it was infected and taking off her mask, placed it beside her and started to undo the straps of the white vest. It took more effort than it usually did.

Itachi's orders were unspoken—needless—when he glanced at his worried cousin. Shisui immediately nodded, went to secure the area as an equally concerned Kiba and Akamaru reluctantly followed.

"Show me what to do, Blossom."

She glanced behind her at the Uchiha's now kneeling form, saw the unwavering demand in his dark eyes. He knew she needed him and as reluctant as she was to accept his help—because she was still wholly intrigued by him and letting him touch her even if in a medical fashion wasn't going to do her any good in the aftermath—she had no other choice.

"Are you familiar with healing?" She asked, turning around to face him and heard her breath hitch in pain.

"Enough to keep me alive."

She nodded, wiped the sweat from her brow with bloody, dirty hands and took a steadying breath. "The wound's infected so you'll need to learn a jutsu to quickly cleanse it while you heal." Her hands were now shaking but she willed them to still as she went through the three seals under Itachi's Sharingan activated eyes.

"Summon healing chakra to your hands and then perform the jutsu. Questions?"

But she was already turning back around, confident that he had already learned it. He wasn't an Uchiha genius for nothing. Pulling a kunai from her weapons pouch, she reached behind her and cut away the back of her tattered and blood soaked top and bindings. There was no room for propriety now and she had no intention of dying from an infected sword wound when there was a perfectly capable Uchiha to help her.

Sakura braced herself for what was coming, closed her eyes when her breath was suddenly stolen the moment his palm made contact with her skin. It was soon followed by sharp stinging, like a hundred needles were digging painfully into her back. Gritting her teeth was all she could do to keep from crying out.

Itachi felt her whole body tense and go rigid as soon as he began to heal her. He pressed closer, slowly trailed his palms over the long diagonal slash marring her ivory skin. The jutsu was simple, its effects life saving and as her skin gradually mended, she relaxed and her breathing came easier.

She was an amazingly strong woman. Itachi would give her that. And yet, she was so vulnerable, so very easy to break under his hands if he so wished. This forest sprite as he'd likened her to all those years ago was such a bundle of contradictions. Fierce and unafraid, compassionate and loyal. But she was breakable…like all beautiful things were.

And as if testing his thoughts, Itachi whispered callous fingers down the healed skin of her back, silently gazing at his perfect healing underneath the quickly drying blood, eyes penetrating and curious—always curious.

She was nothing but smooth skin and lean muscle beneath the feel of his fingertips. He let his onyx eyes drink her in, memorize every dip and curve, every barely there scar exposed. And he allowed his fascination for her to bloom and blossom because he deemed her worth the time and effort. Because she had plagued his mind ever since he was ten years old and that was a feat in and of itself. Because she had become, whether he wanted to admit it or not, something more than just a passing curiosity with pink hair and the greenest green eyes he'd ever seen.

So when Sakura glanced over her shoulder in order to ignore the sensuous shiver running down her spine, their eyes connected and he let an almost carnal look bold his eyes.

He wanted her…would come to know her—possess her.

But what Itachi didn't know and what Sakura was slowly realizing in this moment of smoldering clarity was that he had had her all along…since the very first time she saw his dark eyes and even darker hair…

* * *

A week and a half later Sakura was cloud gazing. A very Shikamaru kind of thing to do.

Except that there were hardly any clouds in the sky today.

Not that she cared overmuch. Getting lost in blue was perfectly fine with her. Lying on a large sturdy tree limb as far up as she could go had become somewhat of a pastime of late. An attempt to get away from everything on one of the few days she had to herself.

Over the course of this past week she had been so high strung, so stretched taut and thin that one more second in a hospital room, one more minute looking at charts would have surely made her snap.

Sakura needed to breathe.

Breathe something that wasn't sterile and medicinal. Something that—

"Cloud gazing?"

She almost fell off the tree branch and if it hadn't been for her excellent shinobi reflexes she would've. Sitting up, she shot him a petty glare. "Yes."

The corner of his lip rose in amusement. "Except that there are no clouds today."

Sakura glanced through the opening in the tree branches, up into the sky and sighed in defeat.

That was the thing with Uchiha Itachi she was beginning to learn. He was quite adept at hiding his presence, his emotions and thoughts too, making him seem almost impenetrable. He was such an overwhelming force of nature, of sheer masculinity and power. But it was all so neatly encased in a lean agile body. Covered with refined features and intense eyes that gave so little away and yet took so much.

It was a good thing she was used to such men and their intensity else she'd be nervous as hell and fidgeting like a schoolgirl right now. Sakura had Sasuke to thank for much of her 'immunity' as she liked to call it. As her teammate he had taught her a lot about subtlety, at least where emotions were concerned. Most Uchiha men were not known to exhibit their feelings so freely thus she was left with the difficult task of deciphering glares and twitches and almost smiles and the different tones of voice.

She liked to think she had become somewhat of a pro at it. More often than not, Sakura found herself observing others with interest, soaking in all that was around her. It was a far cry from her much younger days when all she did was talk and cry and fool herself into thinking she was in love.

Ever since deciding to become a medic she found that keeping a level head and staying calm and collected was absolutely critical. Well, most of the time anyway. Her choice brought with it the acrid taste of death, the joy and relief of life. It drained her, filled her, made her frustrated and tense, satisfied and complete. It allowed her to save what was left, rebuild what was torn down. Yet it only let her breathe in the aftermath.

She often thought that had her parents lived, she would be a very different person today. Maybe not so grown up and realistic about the world she lived in. Maybe still a bit innocent and naïve and a little less lonely.

She was brought out of her musings by the sound of his smooth baritone.

"So tell me _Sakura_, why _are_ you up here then?"

"Getting lost…" She answered vaguely before resuming her reclining position. "And relaxing." She closed her green eyes and inhaled, caught his scent and tried to ignore the little voice in her mind that told her rather bluntly that he was exactly what she needed to breathe in, get lost in, and maybe even relax against.

Itachi regarded her with understanding and then shifted, moved without making a sound when something orangey red captured his gaze. When Sakura noticed the light become darker around her, as if a shadow had befallen her she snapped her eyes open and stilled.

And as her world tilted and swung off its axis, Sakura felt his fingers ease through her pink locks as he hovered over her, so very _very _close with his leg somehow making it between hers and his left arm resting beside her head. He brought the dying leaf across her vision, twirling it lazily in his hand as he gave no intention of moving from his current position.

Itachi let his dark eyes peruse her features for what seemed like the hundredth time and still he couldn't quite get enough—knew from somewhere deep within him that he would _never_ get enough of Haruno Sakura because she was something else entirely.

A veritable jumble of odds and ends. The little girl with the innocent eyes in the crowded market streets of this hidden village. The adolescent who'd looked at him as if he was the most interesting thing on earth. The teen who was his brother's treasured teammate and the Hokage's apprentice. The woman he'd decided would become his.

Reaching behind him, Itachi produced a scroll and placed it between them. But before moving away, he fluttered his fingertips along the silky smoothness of her collarbone, lingered there for a few pounding heartbeats.

"Relax as much as you can today, Sakura. Be prepared to leave at dawn tomorrow."

* * *

_**...to be continued…**_

* * *

**A/N:** Much much appreciation for reading and reviewing. I'm quite surprised (and totally humbled) that I even garnered this many reviews. So heartfelt thanks again for simply giving this short piece a chance.

Speaking of short pieces, TAWB is only five parts long so don't expect a romance of epic proportions and for me to really go into details about everything. I tend to leave some things open to interpretation and to your imagination.

And to break it to you gently (and probably lessen the disappointment in future), Naruto and Sasuke and many of the other Naruto characters don't really make an appearance. Great, I probably just ran off half of you with that little statement, huh?

_-hasu_

* * *


	3. Part III

Disclaimer: Naruto and any of its characters do not belong to me.

* * *

**The Air We Breathe**

_Part III_

* * *

Sakura had resigned herself a long time ago to the notion that she'd probably die working at the Konoha hospital.

But now…now that idea seemed silly and ridiculously far away. Ever since she started going on these ANBU missions with a certain Uchiha Itachi she was now convinced she was going to die either from flying kunai or from being blown to tiny little bits and pieces.

Granted, it was the most excitement she'd had in a very long time—precisely six months, two weeks, and three days before Itachi showed up with that first mission—but sometimes a girl needed her peace and quiet.

Sakura was almost certain that Itachi was requesting her for said missions and Tsunade, knowing that the Uchiha was the best of the best and that he _always_ completed a mission and to possibly lose him because he'd been denied the best of the best medics who so happened to be her prized apprentice would be a risk she was unwilling to take. So of course she had no qualms about throwing Sakura to the lions. Anything to increase the chances of Uchiha Itachi staying alive and well. Anything to keep Konoha prospering.

Well, she thought rather crossly as they traversed a dark corridor in the old and crumbling estate, her peace and quiet had all been shot to hell, torn into a million little pieces and then scattered to the four winds. No thanks of course to her former shishou.

But if she was going to be completely honest and blunt with herself, a little part of her kept nagging, kept telling her that _this_ was what she wanted. That taking on high ranking missions, getting her hands dirty and bloody, feeling the adrenaline pump insanely through her veins as she fought for her life and for her team was what she looking for to stem the monotony of a life that had become so…_routine. _

Aside from the fact that the pay was doing wonders for her financial situation, she felt so much more _alive_ than she had in years.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura resigned herself to the fact that after going on these missions and experiencing once again how it felt to be out in the field, going back to the hospital drastically paled in comparison, was utterly ruined in the face of how she now felt. Why save people there when she could be out here, trying to prevent injury from happening in the first place or at least increasing the rates of survival?

Releasing that same breath, Sakura decided to blame her current state of internal affairs on Uchiha Itachi.

Or maybe she should be _thanking_ him?

She felt a sudden tap on her shoulder and quickly looked behind her. Now was definitely not the time to be getting lost in her thoughts. Genma flew threw motions and understanding immediately, she nodded and separated from him, heading down a different narrow hallway.

They were all to split up and individually search the entire estate for the object of their mission: a bundle of supposedly priceless ancient scrolls stolen from royalty by a rogue nin. The thief and his followers had been tracked here to an old dilapidated estate which was currently in the midst of some kind of celebration in the west wing.

Itachi had taken that area, Shisui the northern parts of the estate, she the eastern parts and Genma the south wing. It was more a stealth mission than anything with them avoiding physical combat as much as possible. A simple get in and get out with what they had come here for.

Sakura quickly searched through the rooms lining the hallway and came up with nothing but musty smells and mothballs. She entered another hallway, did the same and it seemed like she was getting nowhere until she heard footsteps and feminine giggles echo loudly down the main hallway and become increasingly louder. Blending with the surrounding darkness with a kunai already in hand, she saw an oil lamp light up the room across from the one she was in.

Shadows danced along the walls as the laughs and grunts increased in volume and it didn't take her long to figure out what was happening or to catch onto the slurred conversation.

"So you stole the scrolls from royalty?"

"From right under their stuck up noses!"

She giggled, moaned the next and gasped as something clattered on the ground. "And you have it with you?"

"Right here in this room, but _me_ first. Scrolls later." A long groan escaped his throat as what could only be clothing hit the ground.

The squeaky springs of the bed sounded just as Sakura peeked out into the hallway and moved to the opposite wall. More moans and then feminine screams rent the air as the squeaking got louder and the headboard banged against the wall. She resisted the urge to curse whoever was listening for putting her through this. She really didn't want to be here listening to them have rough sex but unfortunately, he could possibly be telling the truth so she needed to check him out.

A movement suddenly caught her green eyes and for a moment she was ready to pounce on her would be attacker until she recognized the ANBU mask. Her muscles relaxed as he noiselessly slid next to her. She felt his dark eyes on her the entire time as the loud squeaking continued, as the groans and moans of rapture filled the space all around them.

And she chanced a look at him, saw the amusement and something else she wasn't ready to identify dancing in his eyes despite this being a mission—a seemingly simple one so far—but a mission nonetheless. Sakura could imagine the small smirk on his lips too, hidden underneath the mask he wore and she thought then that this couldn't be good for her sanity. Itachi couldn't be good for her sanity. 

And it was all proven correct when he closed the very very small distance between them and she felt all her thoughts collide and break apart as he whispered into her ear, his hot breath cascading down her neck.

"He's the one. His coat, left inside pocket."

A particularly hard bang brought her back to reality and damn it she was always better composed than this! Sakura nodded brusquely in an attempt to collect herself and missed the devilish gleam in his eyes right before he activated the Sharingan. As soon as Itachi pulled away from her, he entered the room with Sakura right behind him. The flame in the lamp flickered and died and she immediately felt the cool rush of her captain's genjutsu take effect. She spotted the coat on the other side of the room and dashing soundlessly towards it, picked it up, and grabbed the scrolls from inside.

They were out in less than two minutes. Met with Genma and Shisui three minutes later and were out of the estate in less than one.

Shisui and Genma later asked them where they'd found the scrolls and even though Itachi didn't offer an answer—only rested his amused and daring eyes on her—Sakura felt that as a team she owed them the truth. They didn't try very hard to stifle their laughs and somewhere in between her slight embarrassment, she joined them because for once, everything went relatively smoothly and much simpler than usual.

* * *

"_Sakura, I need you to go in my place." _

_The pink haired woman frowned in confusion. She'd been summoned from her apartment at this late hour and she still didn't know what exactly for. _

"_Care to elaborate Hokage-sama?" Sakura asked. She had ceased calling her Tsunade-shishou, seeing as her training had been completed a year ago. _

"_On what?" The Godaime looked up sharply from her mounds of paperwork and Sakura could tell that the woman hadn't slept in days. Saying the wrong thing could very well get something sharp and pointy thrown at her head._

_She sighed, taking silent pity on her former teacher. "Just tell me where." _

"_Uchiha compound." _

_It was just after midnight and that was the last thing she wanted to hear but some things just couldn't be avoided—some people too. _

"_Got it." _

"_Good. Now get out before I'm tempted to make you stay and finish this damn paperwork for me." _

_Sakura couldn't help the smile. "Get some rest Hokage-sama. You look tired." _

It was also the last place she wanted to be. But here she was, knocking on the front gates, not knowing what to expect or who but prepared for the worse. She patted her medic bag, making sure she had everything she could possibly need and patiently waited for someone to answer.

Sakura shouldn't have been surprised when her sometimes ANBU captain opened the wooden gates and beckoned her in. She could instantly tell he was tense, maybe even a little worried by the stiffness of his shoulders and the way he clenched and unclenched his fists.

"Uchiha-san, I'd appreciate it if someone would tell me what's going on. Makes my job a little easier." Sakura said as they made their way down the silent, lantern lit street.

It wasn't often she got the chance to step inside the highly secure Uchiha compound. The times she did were either medical in nature or to serve as the voice of caution and reason as they snuck Sasuke out. The Uchiha compound never ceased to amaze her though and she always found herself soaking everything in with childlike wonder.

"Tsunade-sama didn't tell you?"

Sakura shook her head and smiled apologetically. "She was in one of her moods. It was either risk getting something pointy thrown at my head or just wait and find out until I got here. I went with the latter. I kind of like my head the way it is."

Itachi nodded, thinly veiled amusement crossing his eyes despite the current predicament and led them through a garden path under moonlight. "My mother…she came down with a fever earlier. It cooled down for a few hours but since has returned. It appears others have been having the same symptoms. Shivering, body pains, coughing, even vomiting."

He slid a shoji screen open and they walked into his home, through a long corridor and then a shorter one before arriving at another set of shoji screens decorated with bamboo and cranes. It slid open immediately and a tense looking Fugaku looked from his eldest son to the pink haired medic.

"Haruno Sakura, the Hokage's apprentice?"

"The one and only." She answered politely, wondering if she'd forever be known as that and not just Haruno Sakura.

Beckoned to enter by a more relieved Fugaku, she followed him but not before pausing and turning towards Itachi. She tilted her head and really looked at him, at the almost imperceptible worried lines in his face as he stared past his father's shoulder and into the room, at the way his eyes seemed farther away than usual. And she thought then that Uchiha Itachi must really love his mother.

Sakura wanted to laugh though because for once, she envied him. Not his last name or his clan or the fact that he was a genius. No. None of those.

He had what she had lost a long time ago.

A mother. A father. _Family_.

Maybe because she was suddenly feeling ridiculously lonely and sad or because she felt the need to offer whatever comfort she could, but in the spaces of a few heartbeats Sakura reached over the divide between them and touched Itachi's shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm here."

**…**

At three am Sakura had diagnosed and stabilized all six ailing Uchihas. It turned out to be a serious case of the flu—nothing a lower ranking medic couldn't handle but this was the all powerful Uchiha clan, head of Konoha's Military Police Force they were talking about and they demanded only the best.

Fugaku and Itachi had been lucky that they too hadn't come down with it. But it was nothing to worry about now. She had contained it and all that was needed now was a special blend of herbs she'd personally created to ease any discomfort, antiviral medication, and plenty of rest.

And her little chakra cleanse of course. She couldn't resist her desire to speed along their recovery and so had—out of the too much kindness of her heart—swept her healing chakra precisely through their systems, especially respiratory, to significantly weaken the sickness. She had been told it felt similar to a blast of icy hot air, that it took their breath away for a moment before it came back in a relieving whoosh. She assured family members that they were out of harm's way. Their immune systems would simply do the rest.

Sakura wrung out the cool towel and placed it on Mikoto's forehead. The shoji screen opened, slid closed, and she was soon joined by Fugaku and Itachi.

"She'll be fine Uchiha-san." She said, drying her hands on her loose blue pants as she stood to regard both men.

"And her fever? Coughing? The chills?" Fugaku asked.

"Down. Better and gone." She replied with a comforting smile. She bent down to pick up her medical bag and shouldered it, intending to go back to her apartment and straight back to bed.

"You must stay, Haruno-san."

"I must?" Sakura glanced at Itachi with a frown, saw the brief flash of amusement before his trademark stoicism took hold, and returned her gaze to his father.

Fugaku nodded, determination already set in the lines of his face. "It is already very late. It would be easier for you to simply rest here tonight and should anything else occur you'd be within easy reach. I've already had a room prepared for you which Itachi will show you."

"Thank you Uchiha-san but I—"

"This is not up for argument, Haruno-san."

Before she could make any more protestations, Itachi was behind her gripping her shoulders and directing her out of the room and down the hall. Once they arrived at the room she was supposed to stay in, he slid open the screen and pulled her inside.

"Look Itachi, as much as I appreciate this gesture of kindness or whatever it is—why are you looking at me like that?"

"You said my name." He tilted his head with a slight smile on his lips and came closer.

"Yeah…well, I kind of got tired of addressing everyone as Uchiha-san here. Anyway, don't change the subject!" She took an unconscious step back and collided with the wall.

Itachi leaned in closer, caging her in with his arms and looked deep into her eyes. "My father is a very adamant man." He tucked a pink strand behind an ear, took a deep breath of her.

"But—" Her medic bag dropped from her grasp, hit the tatami mat with a dull thud and small clinks and clangs of bottles and instruments.

"Stay and rest, Sakura." He whispered into her ear.

"Itachi…" She almost melted when she felt his lips brush along the curve of her jaw but she gripped his wrist instead. Anything to remain solid and afloat.

"_Stay_."

How could she refuse when he said it like _that_? Silky smooth and tempting, deep and commanding and she knew—_she knew_—that underneath lay the hidden blade, sharp and so very very dangerous.

"Okay."

And Sakura closed her eyes when he lightly ran his lips down the side of her neck, feather light across her collarbone and she distantly thought that maybe this was his way of thanking her for helping his mother and the others. Maybe this was—this was Uchiha Itachi and he was dangerous and overwhelming and everything she had ever wanted since she was a little girl.

He trailed his fingertips down the side of her face then, brought her back to the glaring reality surrounding her.

"You have my gratitude, Sakura."

But his eyes held something dark and feral in them, something sinfully alluring that sent hot shivers coursing through her body and she was left wondering if that was all she had of his. If he knew that it was only a matter of time before he had her everything.

**...**

A few days later Sakura received a bouquet of flowers and a personally made sweet cake from Mikoto Uchiha. For speeding along her recovery and dealing with her Uchiha men while she'd been indisposed the small rectangular card had expressed.

Her first bite had been heaven.

The second almost made her cry.

It'd been such a long time since she had a mother's cooking.

* * *

The next day found her swamped at the hospital. With Tsunade and Shizune in meetings until late afternoon, supervision and order fell to her.

Bent over her filing cabinet Sakura didn't notice when Itachi slipped into her office. His obsidian eyes perused the back of her exposed legs and he decided that he wanted very much to see if they were as smooth as they looked. So when he silently crept closer and slowly ran his fingers along her skin, his curiosity was sated, his touch lingering.

And his want…his want for her, for his forest sprite with the petal pink hair and the emeralds for eyes, only grew.

Her scowl of indignation made him smirk and he couldn't help but touch her again. This time he got to see her eyes widen a little, melt a little.

And it was then Itachi knew he had her.

Or maybe—the more he thought about it and the longer he gazed at her—he'd had her a long time ago. Perhaps since the first time they saw each other in the crowded market streets of a bustling Konoha or when she'd looked at him, eyes full of wonder and curiosity, in the falling rain.

Coming to her senses, Sakura quickly stepped around him in order to put some distance between them. The way his dark eyes had suddenly lightened and the slight lift of the corner of his mouth made her wary. Whenever that same look crossed Sasuke's face, it meant something was figured out; a revelation of sorts that more often than not didn't bode well for her or her dwindling sanity.

She ignored the way her skin still burned with the aftermath of his sensual touch and straightened, smoothed down the non-existent wrinkles in her white medic coat.

"So Uchiha-san, what can I do for you?"

"I thought we were past the formalities, Sakura." He moved to lean against her desk.

"Then what can I do for you, _Itachi_?"

His eyes seemed to darken a shade as the beginnings of a smirk curved his mouth. "Better."

Sakura was tempted to throttle him right then and there. Whether out of frustration, her own feelings towards him or the fact he looked too sinfully gorgeous standing there in all his long haired glory she didn't know. But damn it, she had patients to check and a hospital to look after!

As if sensing her rising ire, he walked over to her and once again conveniently invaded her personal space. He dropped a scroll—she should have already guessed—into her arms where she held a few files before bringing his hand up and grazing long powerful fingers along the line of her delicate jaw, his thumb idly smoothing across her bottom lip.

And her earlier thoughts of Uchiha Itachi being a very dangerous man were only reaffirmed. Her own hand came up and she rested it on his wrist to stop his tempting motions.

"Another mission?" Sakura breathed out, green eyes dark as she looked at him. But maybe that was a mistake because she wasn't quite prepared for the raw hunger she saw flicker across his eyes for the briefest of moments.

The door to her office suddenly burst open then and a young medic in training hurried in only to stop dead in her tracks. It took sheer force of will to get her mouth moving instead of gaping like a fish out of water.

"I-I'm sorry to interrupt Sakura-san, Uchiha-san but an injured jounin team just came in and you're needed immediately." Her eyes shifted back and forth from her beautiful superior to the gorgeous Uchiha so many of her friends gossiped about. She started to squirm under his intense gaze and wanted nothing more than to flee from the room.

"I'll be there right away." Sakura said, watching the young medic nod and bolt from her office. Great, she thought. She could already hear the rumors spreading.

Itachi stepped away from her, amusement coloring his features. "Tomorrow at dusk. Pack accordingly."

Sakura glared at him. Oh, she knew he knew what would be circulating around the hospital in a matter of hours and it irked her to see how it only amused him. She tossed the scroll on her desk to be read later and silently cursed her luck, her still unclear relationship with one Uchiha Itachi, and the ANBU captain himself.

But before he could disappear, she stopped him with a hurried request when remembrance struck her. "Can you tell Mikoto-san thank you for me?"

He nodded, a barely there but knowing smile turning his lips and obsidian eyes as dark as ever.

* * *

**_...to be continued…_**

* * *


	4. Part IV

Disclaimer: Naruto and any of its characters do not belong to me.

* * *

**The Air We Breathe**

_Part IV_

* * *

The henge was flawless.

Long chocolate brown hair perfectly coiffed and violet eyes, Sakura was every bit the beautiful courtesan. She adjusted the obi of her kimono slightly and then proceeded to walk into the massive ballroom filled with all kinds of elegant and rich people, shamisen in hand.

As she made her way through the crowd towards the other musicians, her eyes roamed the many faces in search of their two missing nin from Ishi no Kuni. Word had it the brothers had become good friends of the daimyo in this western region of Rain.

An arm suddenly wrapped around her waist and she turned to see Itachi, also under a henge. With their excellent chakra control and skills, they had been deemed the best pair to infiltrate the party and take out the targets. Genma and Shisui would serve as surveillance and secure the perimeter for an unhindered escape.

He leaned in close, whispered into her ear under the guise of flirting and she acted coy like a good little courtesan would. "In a booth to the right of where you'll be. They're with the daimyo." And then he was gone, lost among the crowd with his pale blond hair and brown eyes.

When Sakura reached the musicians' platform in the front of the room, she discreetly glanced to her right and sure enough they were there. She gracefully kneeled down and positioned her shamisen just right, bachi in hand. Looking demurely at the daimyo, violet eyes glancing at the two nukenin to the left of him, she nodded and upon his signal, began to play.

Not many knew she could actually play the shamisen. Her mother had taught her, told her that it was a good skill to have as any and that one day it would prove useful. Well Sakura thought, today was that day and silently thanked her for having the patience to teach her this three stringed instrument.

And as her ivory bachi adeptly struck both silken string and cat skin, as her performance was later accompanied by the shakuhachi, the pink haired kunoichi was aware that she was garnering the attention of many of the males in the room. Two of whom were the most important.

Two women brought her over to the canopied booth they sat in after her performance and Sakura made sure her henge was as undetectable as possible. They were shinobi after all and even though they had consumed a good amount of alcohol, the slightest slip could spell deep trouble.

Both nukenin peered at her with bright, slightly unfocused eyes.

"We've got a pretty one, Yuuta."

"Pretty and skilled." Kenta leaned in closer and stroked her lips.

The daimyo excused himself then, taking with him the two women who had retrieved Sakura.

It was a good thing the other courtesans were frequenting the booth. It divided their attention and gave her more breathing space to plan her next move. From over Kenta's shoulder, she spotted Itachi engaged in conversation with the daimyo but his eyes always seemed to travel, albeit discreetly, in her direction.

"You flatter me." Sakura chimed, giving them an embarrassed smile, even a small blush too.

Dark haired and bulky in build like his brother Yuuta, Kenta smirked. "Do you know who I am courtesan?"

"A very powerful man no doubt."

He laughed, pulled her closer until she was nearly sitting in his lap. "You have no idea." And then he groped her, fondled a breast and Sakura wanted nothing more than to pound his face into oblivion and rip off his arm but she was a kunoichi and this was a mission. Still, it didn't help the disgust from welling inside her.

But all hopes of this mission going smoothly flew out the window when Yuuta released a strangled yet furious yell of pain. She turned around just in time to see a blonde haired courtesan drop dead onto the ground, her throat slashed with a kunai. Yuuta ripped the dagger from his midsection, snarled with agony and everything suddenly went from bad to worse in a matter of seconds.

Kunai and exploding tags suddenly erupted, shook the foundations of the building as sharp blades clashed and blood was splattered across the marble floors. People were shouting and screaming as they fought for a way out of the massive ballroom. The daimyo's men were gathering, pushing against the tide of panicked bodies whilst trying to contain the situation.

Sakura's neck was seized from behind just as she saw another courtesan unsheathe a kodachi and attack a wounded Yuuta.

"Whores! Daring to attack us?!" Kenta sneered and tightened his grip.

Knowing there was no other way Sakura sent a surge of chakra to her hand and grabbing his wrist, crushed it with her inhuman strength. He let go instantly with a pain filled howl.

"Kunoichi!?" He raged, cradling his now broken wrist.

She scrambled to a stand, cursing the restrictive kimono when she nearly stumbled into the table. They hadn't counted on there being another attack tonight. Itachi had planned everything out perfectly but obviously no one had anticipated a bunch of courtesans—and then it occurred to her that they might not be courtesans at all but kunoichi on a death mission. Sakura supposed she should be thanking them for the distraction though.

Shuriken whizzed by her head but she easily dodged them. So much for the poison Sakura thought as another woman's body flew through the air and collided with the pillar. Another explosion went off, sent debris and burnt bodies through the air.

With her henge still in place—they couldn't afford to have Konoha linked with this disaster—Sakura took a kunai to her kimono and slit it high on the side to give her room to maneuver, briefly lamenting the loss of such a beautiful piece.

She barely had time to move out of the way of Kenta's attack. Even though heavier in build and nursing a useless hand, he was still a shinobi and he was still fast and powerful. The table broke in half and Sakura was forced to come to blows with him.

Moving swiftly and with a deadly grace, she agilely countered his punches and kicks with her own and when he made a move to grab a katana lying forgotten on the ground, Sakura unleashed her senbon hidden beneath the folds of her obi. He was too slow to dodge them all and when they struck his shoulder, he hissed and began to blindly attack.

And then she saw pale blond hair from the corner of her eye and instinctively, the pink haired medic swept to the side to give her ANBU captain an opening. Itachi's ninjaken soundlessly slid through a surprised Kenta's chest a moment later. The cool steel impaled his heart and all that was left of the missing nin was a gurgled choke.

As if the finale had finally arrived, a succession of smaller blasts rocked the ballroom and that was when the ceiling started to crumble. Large blocks of stone and razor sharp pieces of glass descended, slicing and whistling through the room now clouded with gray smoke and debris.

Sakura should have known getting out would be the toughest part. A quick scan around let her know that Yuuta was also dead along with most of the courtesans and several of the guests.

"Out. Now." Itachi commanded and they were soon flickering towards the nearest gaping hole in the wall.

But the last thing Sakura remembered was the collective whistle of flying kunai and the white hot explosions that abruptly took her breath away, leaving her to drown in the encroaching darkness.

**...**

"Blossom!" Shisui cupped the side of her face, gently shook her to coax any type of response from her. "Blossom! Damn it woman, wake up!"

"Should we start panicking yet?" Genma wiped the sweat from his brow, threw away the dented senbon and stuck another in his mouth.

"Not helping." Shisui glared at his teammate before focusing his attention once again on their medic.

Hell, she was lucky to still be alive. Had Itachi not seen the nearly invisible exploding tags, they would have been blown to smithereens. His cousin had immediately pulled the pink haired kunoichi to him and with a burst of powerful chakra had careened the both of them out of there as the flames from the 

blasts licked dangerously close and flying debris followed them out. They'd both been knocked unconscious though, with Sakura suffering the most damage. Patting her cheek with bursts of basic healing chakra, Shisui tried again to bring her back to consciousness.

**…**

Itachi stirred from his place in the shabby little inn room a little while later. Inhaling sharply, he snapped open his black eyes and was immediately consumed with a bout of harsh coughing.

"Damn Weasel, am I ever glad to see you awake." Genma breathed a sigh of relief as he handed the ANBU captain a glass of water.

"Blossom?" He immediately asked as he moved to stand up. A wave of vertigo crashed into him and he swayed a little but before Genma could stop him he was already on his feet, black hair spilling over his shoulders.

"She's…"

Seeing the green eyed medic on the other bed, Itachi calmly closed the distance and leaned over her prone form tucked beneath the thin cheap coverlet, fingers fluttering over her pulse.

"…fine." Genma finished quietly when he noticed the tension ease from the Uchiha's shoulders. "Tiger got her to wake up for all of ten seconds earlier in which she sucked in air like there was no tomorrow. But that was enough for us. She's breathing now."

"And where is my cousin?"

"Food and water."

"Our status report?"

The senbon user stretched out on the bed, finally able to relax now that Itachi was awake. "Targets eliminated. Turned out that a band of kunoichi had disguised themselves as the courtesans with the daimyo as their target. They blew up the whole building and themselves in the end but their man was able to get away. You were both caught in the last minute explosions. We're currently in a cheap little inn just inside the borders of Fire. The keepers think we're traveling merchants."

Itachi nodded, obsidian eyes never once leaving Sakura.

**…**

"I almost died you know." And she smiled wryly as she stepped out of bathroom, now clean and mostly healed up. Her prediction of probably dying by flying kunai or being blown into oblivion had been pretty damn accurate.

"So why the smile?" Itachi asked from his reclining position on the shabby and squeaky bed.

She let a small laugh escape. "Because I didn't."

Running fingers through her still wet pink locks, she sat on the edge of the bed. She then secured the straps of her white vest and arm guards, saw the feline mask beside her and picked it up.

"We're like cats…"

Itachi raised a dark eyebrow, finding himself curious to hear her thoughts. "How so?"

"We have so many lives…" Sakura whispered, tracing the twin red slashes on either side of the white porcelain mask. "Makes you wonder how soon we'll reach nine."

But then she smiled—a little bit wistful and a little bit accepting—and shrugged, biting her lower lip. "It's not a bad thing though…at least most of the time…"

She didn't notice Itachi move until he was standing directly in front of her. She scooted back, craned her neck upwards and tossed him an irritated and somewhat uncomfortable glare. All she received was an undecipherable look though after she leaned back on her elbows to give her more breathing room.

When he placed a knee between her legs, when the springs of the bed squeaked and groaned under his added weight, Sakura felt her throat go a little dry and the irritation slowly give way to wariness. Hovering over her, long black hair spilling over his shoulder and mingling with hers, Itachi stared at her, intense and almost sinful, as if he was the devil come to collect her soul.

"We are shinobi, Blossom." He whispered, voice dipped in a steely seriousness. "This is what we do…how we live."

Her verdant eyes couldn't help but be drawn to his lips. Her heart couldn't help but understand. "The air we breathe…"

"You're learning."

And the way he was once again brushing his thumb over her lips…

"I wanted to kill him for touching you." He confided quietly. "_Here_." His hand trailed up her thigh and he actually _groped _her, made her eyes widen almost comically and red tint her cheeks. Sakura didn't miss the devilish glint in his eyes though. "_And here_." His hand then slipped beneath her black undershirt and ANBU vest and she bit back a moan when he caressed her, gently squeezed her breast.

"We're shinobi." She threw back at him, emerald eyes helplessly hazing over.

"You're _mine_." Itachi came closer, a rare show of possessiveness coloring his deep dark eyes. He laced fingers through her hair, gripped and pulled, inhaled her breathy gasp as he looked into her eyes. "But you've always been mine haven't you, _Blossom_? Since the first time I saw you…the first time you saw me…"

Her mouth opened to deny his claims, but nothing came out. And Sakura wanted so badly to punch that smug look off his face and there was a good chance she would have attempted to had Shisui not walked through the croaking door that connected the two rooms.

But he paused when he saw them, grinned lecherously a second later. "Oh don't mind me. By all means, carry on." And in a conspiratorial whisper that wasn't very conspiratorial at all he added, "It's about time, Weasel. I was beginning to worry."

Sakura groaned in embarrassment and promptly ignored the way Itachi was slowly dragging his eyes up and down her body, the way his hand was still drawing circles on her skin.

"We'll continue this later." He whispered seductively into her ear, every bit the stalking predator.

And Sakura of course was his choice of prey.

But a part of her was still deciding if that was good or not. A part of her was wondering if she still had time to run.

* * *

"I've been hearing some interesting things lately."

Sakura looked up from the chart she was examining, arched a brow in question. "Interesting things?"

Shizune nodded. "About you and a certain Uchiha."

After only three days back from the mission, she was already itching to crush something. The pink haired medic put up a hand to stop any further comments. "Rumors, Shizune. That's all they are."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You're sure?"

"Very sure."

"Positive?"

"What is this? Twenty questions?"

"No. Just…curious."

"Well 'curious' is starting to get irritating, Shizune. It's bad enough I have to put up with all the speculating glances from all the other staff in here, not to mention all the younger medics coming to me and asking for advice on how to snag hot dreamy shinobi, but you too? I don't even know how to snag hot dreamy shinobi damn it! But no, they just giggle, tell me to stop being so secretive, and hand over the goods! Do I look like someone who knows how to deal with hot dreamy shinobi Shizune? Do I?!" Sakura was ready snap the clipboard in half and tear the charts to shreds.

The older woman had a hard time trying to contain her laughter though. "Well…honestly speaking Sakura, you're on a team and best friends with three of Konoha's most eligible bachelors. And then Ai manages to see you with Uchiha Itachi…" Shizune shook her head. "I'd say they have good reason."

"You're not helping."

But she only smiled teasingly. "I didn't come here to help, Sakura."

The younger medic only sighed. "Merely to slake your curiosity. I feel so much better."

Shizune flicked her on the forehead. "I think you're lying, but what do I know. Either way, as long as you're happy with the way things are I won't press you for any more details. After all, we are a hospital and personal affairs should remain outside of these walls."

"Yeah Shizune, tell that to everyone else. And I'm not lying!"

"Mmm hmm…" She waved her hand offhandedly, hard pressed to believe the pink haired kunoichi when it was so obvious she was getting worked up over 'just rumors'.

"Shizune!"

But she was already gone, her faint laughter echoing down the hall of the hospital.

**…**

"Sakura-san! Please wait! I need some advice!"

Said woman took a deep calming breath—and found that it did absolutely nothing to cool down her bubbling annoyance. Turning around, she regarded the young medic with forced politeness, already knowing what she was going to ask.

"I'm a little busy right now, Yuko."

The brown haired girl looked pleadingly at her as she clutched a couple of manila folders to her chest. "It'll only take a second!"

Taking pity on her, Sakura relented with a small nod—even though she was probably the last person to ask for any kind of romantic advice.

"Well you see, I have a crush on this one boy but then he doesn't even know I exist but he's really cute and handsome and he's so smart! Every time I see him—"

"Yuko."

"Oh, right. Well, I was wondering what you would do in my situation."

"Does he happen to be in research and the only time you actually get to see him is if he decides to take a lunch in the break room?"

Her eyes widened with surprise which was then closely followed by a strange sort of awe. "How did you know?"

Sakura bit back her reply. She really didn't want to crush the younger girl's romantic aspirations and say that those in research never knew anyone existed besides themselves. That they hardly paid attention to another living human being if it didn't pertain to their choice of subject—she knew firsthand of course, what with being in research herself for a year—but instead Sakura decided to look on the brighter side of things.

"Lucky guess?" The green eyed medic responded with a lopsided smile and when Yuko vehemently nodded, even gushed a little at how she knew everything, Sakura was sorely tempted to shake some sense into the girl.

"Don't be afraid to approach him Yuko because chances are, he won't and then you'll just be left as you are, silently pining for him from the sidelines. Sometimes the girl has to take the first step." Sakura offered, thinking to herself that that line probably came from one of the many movies she'd seen. But it was better than nothing.

"You're right, Sakura-san." A look of determination crossed her face. "I'll ask him to join me for lunch or maybe dinner."

"And if he still doesn't acknowledge you, there are plenty of other boys out there who deserve your affections."

Yuko gave her a bright smile, gray eyes shining with gratitude. "I can see why Uchiha-san fell for you."

"We're not…" But the younger woman had already spun around and was hurrying around the corner. "…together…"

Sakura blew her bangs out of her eyes and stuffed her hands in the large pockets of her white medic coat as she continued towards her office, ignoring the voice in her head…in her heart that kept telling her to just give up and accept the inevitable.

* * *

…_to be continued…_

* * *

**Notes:** A **shakuhachi** is a type of flute.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!! The final part should be up in a few days.

_-hasu_


	5. Part V

Disclaimer: Naruto and any of its characters do not belong to me.

* * *

**The Air We Breathe**

_Part V_

* * *

"I think I've figured it out. You're in denial."

"Excuse me?"

"It's obviously the reason why you never come around anymore. You're upset that you didn't get to go on that mission with your team and now you're drowning yourself in work at the hospital, pretending that you're not bothered by it when in actuality you are. I think you might even be jealous that Hinata took your place."

"What are you? My therapist?"

"Self-appointed."

Sakura was ready to bang her head on the table, maybe even put a foot through the window of the restaurant. Ino was certainly off in the cause, but maybe not so much the diagnosis. But then again, she always thought _denial_ was too strong of a word. She was just…avoiding the truth for the time being. The truth that happened to come along with a certain Uchiha. The truth that had crawled its way through time and memory and childhood curiosity.

"You've got it all wrong, Ino."

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"Then tell me where the hell you've been and why you look like someone whose puppy just died."

"It's classified."

Ino snorted, rolling her annoyed blue eyes. "This 'classified' better be a man. A hot man. Like one of those mysterious ANBU fellows with the dark eyes and deep sexy voice."

"Haruno Sakura, you're to report to the Hokage's office immediately."

"Oh hell, speak of the devil." Ino straightened, eyes wide with a little bit of shock.

A flash of concern immediately crossed Sakura's eyes. "Is everything all right?" She asked the ANBU shinobi.

"I'm not at liberty to say."

Nodding, Sakura turned towards Ino, lunch suddenly forgotten. "I've gotta go, but I promise to make it up to you."

"You can make it up to me by finding yourself a man. That is if you haven't already." The blonde wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"You're impossible."

"And I expect details the next time I see you!" She shouted to her retreating pink haired friend.

Sakura only tossed a nonchalant wave over her shoulder before disappearing.

* * *

A retrieval mission.

Three of their own had been captured and their conditions unknown. For all they knew, they could already be dead. But bodies were needed and Sakura hoped they would still be alive by the time they made it to Cloud.

**…**

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Sakura cracked the stone wall of the fortress and watched it crumble to the ground. When the dust cleared, Itachi's genjutsu was already in place and with Shisui's body flicker technique and the combined numbers of both his and Genma's kage bunshins, it would seem like they were being attacked by a small army rather than being infiltrated by four Konoha shinobi.

With his Sharingan spinning, Itachi and Sakura raced down the corridors and stone steps, nothing but dark shadows in the torchlight. Footsteps thundered from around the corner and it wasn't long before they made contact. Her kunai slit across a throat, her fist crushed a jaw and her knee ruthlessly broke a set of ribs. And after Itachi swiftly dealt a killing blow to the last soldier's chest, he nodded and she took five steps to her right, summoned the perfect amount of chakra to her hand and brought it down on the hall floor.

Moments later she was plummeting on a circular slab of crumbling stone to the underground floor, landing with a roll among the echoing sound of hard impact. Two guards came at her, no doubt the two watching Konoha's captured shinobi but they hit the ground before they could even attempt to attack, Itachi's kunai embedded in their throats.

Hurrying over to the heavy wood door and after collapsing it from its rusty hinges with the force of her blow, she followed Itachi inside.

What she saw made her breathe a sigh of relief.

They were still alive.

Tortured almost to the point of non recognition but hell, they were _still alive_ and that's all that mattered to her. Sakura easily snapped the chakra chains holding their unconscious forms upright. She then hefted two on either shoulder, Itachi lifting the last after placing exploding tags around the room and on the dead guards. Taking one final look around, they fled the bloody room just as shouts and the pounding of running feet grew louder and louder.

Shisui and Genma saw them emerge from the opening in the wall, three shinobi in hand and while it was a sight to see Sakura flickering with two grown ninja thrown over her shoulders as if they were feather light, they wasted no time in completing the last phase of their mission.

Wrapping an arm around a ninja's shoulders, Genma easily broke his neck and pinned one of the last exploding tags on the now dead body. When Itachi and Sakura made it to the perimeter of the fortress, both Shisui and Genma swiftly followed. And in the relative safety of the forest, under the cover of darkness they activated the tags and listened to the fiery eruptions go boom in the night.

**…**

Leaning tiredly against the rotting wood of an abandoned lodge, Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow and gratefully accepted a canteen of water from Shisui. They were about four hours away from Fire's border, having had no choice but to stop in order for her to take care of the three ninjas' major wounds.

"How are they?" Shisui asked, taking the place beside her and stretching out his legs.

Sakura swallowed the lukewarm liquid, glanced at the three sleeping jounin. "They'll make it. I've healed most of their major injuries but I'd be running the risk of chakra depletion if I continue."

"Don't wear yourself out, Blossom. We still have a long way home. As long as they're out of harm's way, it'll be enough."

There was a stretch of calm silence before Sakura spoke. "Tiger?"

"Yeah?"

"How do we do it? How do we leave everyone behind time and time again, knowing that we might not come back? Knowing that we could very well end up like them or worse?"

"We're shinobi, Blossom." He said quietly.

"Is that the same as emotionless machines? The same as humans bred to kill and serve without question?"

A laugh dipped in irony escaped his lips. "You sounded just like Weasel when he asked me the same questions."

"And what did you tell him?"

"That even though we may kill and destroy, we also protect and save…_heal_. We walk a very fine line, Blossom." Shisui answered with a wry smile. "In the end, it's either us or the countless innocents…_our countless innocents…_all the mothers and daughters, sons and fathers, our siblings and friends…our lovers. We are much more expendable than a whole village. What are three, four lives versus hundreds….thousands?"

And as the dying leaves whistled in the wind, Sakura closed her green eyes and released a steady breath. "Is it worth it?"

Shisui remained quiet, thoughtful.

And after what seemed like forever, Sakura answered her own question in a hushed whisper. "I like to think so…hope so. We're beyond just duty and honor, Tiger…beyond just being willingly expendable for the good of the village. We're genuine love and unbreakable commitment." She glanced at Shisui, saw the small wonder and sparkle in his obsidian eyes and smiled with understanding. "We give just as much…or maybe even more than we take." She turned away, a faraway look in her green eyes. "I think I'm starting to see that."

"Ours is not an easy life to live, Blossom."

"I know."

As her breathing evened out, Shisui thought she'd fallen asleep but she hadn't.

"Tiger?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"You're much more appreciative of my wise words than Weasel ever was."

"That's probably because he already figured everything out by the time you were done talking."

He laughed softly. "Blossom?"

"Yeah?"

"What is he to you?"

A long pause filled the space between them, both unaware that Itachi had been listening the entire time—and was still listening, intensely curious to hear what kind of response she would give.

Sakura eventually answered, quiet and truthful. "Everything I've ever wanted since I was a little girl…everything I'm unsure of…curious of…" She sighed. "…the air I breathe, whether I want to or not…"

* * *

A week later and a few hours before dawn, Itachi showed up on her doorstep.

"Couldn't you have waited a couple more hours to give me the scroll?" Sakura asked, more than a little peeved.

He turned stiffly and Sakura saw the three parallel gashes running down the back of his shoulder.

"Wait, no scroll?" She looked puzzled for a moment, her mind still fogged with sleep.

But Itachi only gave her his usual stoic expression and upon closer scrutiny, she could tell he was a little more tired than usual.

"You really should've gone to the hospital."

"Why would I when you're much closer?"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Sakura motioned him inside and felt the chilly morning air against her bare legs, the oversized t-shirt doing nothing to keep her warm.

"Make yourself comfortable." She told him after shutting the door.

A little while later, she joined the silent Uchiha on her sofa with a wet cloth. He'd already stripped down and she was able to get a clear look at his wound. Kneeling on the sofa behind him, she gently cleaned it and found the gashes to be shallow and nothing serious.

"A solo mission?"

He nodded and it was only in her presence he seemed to relax, to let go a little.

"You should be more careful." Sakura whispered.

Drawing chakra to her hand she began to heal him, warm and soothing as she drew the lacerations to a close. It wasn't long before she finished, fingers brushing over his now unmarred skin. And they sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity, the air around them suddenly thick and almost tangible. Sakura was finding it harder and harder to breathe with each moment that passed until she forced herself to stop touching him, forced herself to scoot away and stand up.

"Would you like some tea?" Sakura didn't wait for an answer though, already making her way towards her small kitchen and throwing away the now bloodstained cloth.

'_Would you kindly get out of my apartment so I can breathe and stop thinking about how nice it feels to touch you?_' was the question she really wanted to ask but didn't because it'd be impolite and would reveal far too much.

"You're running away." Itachi bluntly said as he stood and tracked her movements.

"I'm not." She reached into her cupboard and pulled out two mugs.

"Yes. You are." He murmured silkily into her ear as he pressed his body against hers from behind.

"No. I'm not." Sakura bit out as she pressed back, a sudden flare of anger igniting her emerald eyes.

She missed his flash of amusement, the smirk that lit up his features as he goaded her into action. He wanted to know how far she'd fall before she let him catch her.

His hand trailed along the outside of her naked thigh, traveled up and up until he hooked a finger under her panties and pulled, heard her gasp as it snapped against her heated skin.

"Prove it."

"Prove what?" And Sakura nearly crushed the black mug when Itachi's hand smoothed over her hip, curled around to her front and palmed her breast.

"That you don't want me, Sakura."

She tried to squirm her way free, but Itachi would have none of it. His hold tightened, his breath fanned across the back of her neck.

"There's nothing to prove, Itachi."

He tsked. "Now you're being difficult." And she wanted so much to kick him out her window but damn it, he felt too good and he was making her all fuzzy and white hot.

"Tell me Sakura, when was the first time you saw me?" He spoke softly into her ear, but she could hear that razor sharp edge just beneath his deceptively yielding tone.

"When I was five."

"Where?"

"In the market streets." She murmured.

"Did I have your heart then?"

"Maybe…but I think you stole it the second time."

"Aa. In the rain…"

"You saw me?"

"You're quite difficult to miss."

"What about these missions then?" Sakura asked.

"Learning about you. You intrigue me…have ever since I was ten years old."

He pressed even closer, surrounded her with his masculine intensity and scent that made her heart race and knees weak. And when his hand came dangerously close to touching her _there_, she just about lost herself to this Uchiha.

"Are you mine, Sakura?" He whispered huskily, fingers skimming the inside of her thigh.

She nodded, released a heavy breath.

"Say it."

She bit her bottom lip, threw her head back when he _touched_ her and she so easily caved under his merciless pressure. "…I've always been yours…"

When Sakura turned her head around, drowned in his burning black eyes, as her fingers curled in his ebony locks and his in her silky pink strands, he crushed his lips against hers. Consumed her very heart and soul with his mouth as he slid his tongue through the seam of her rosy lips, tasted her and devoured her and took more than Sakura thought she could ever give. And she _melted_ into his lingering touches, suddenly _craved_ his lingering touches like some wanton little thing bent on all things carnal and so very raw.

He lifted her up onto the kitchen counter and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, met him with equal fervor and a white hot need that had years to bloom and blossom. And as they got lost in each other, as they finally gave in to intrigue as dark as sin, nothing had ever felt so good.

* * *

_One month later…_

"I can't believe you!"

Itachi languidly gazed at the pink haired woman beside him, clothed in nothing but his shirt and sporting a rather peeved expression. Ignoring her feeble protests, he roughly pulled her closer and inhaled her intoxicating scent that now permeated his room…his pillows…his everything.

When she dangled the ring hanging from a silver chain between them, he understood. But didn't very much care.

"You never gave it to Sasuke!"

"I never said I would." He replied simply.

"But…" Sakura released an annoyed huff. "Okay, so maybe you never did but still." And then she mumbled more to herself than to her significant other, "No wonder I never saw him wear it. He never even got it!"

Itachi snatched the chain away and threw it across the room, fully intent on reducing her to feminine moans and sighs.

"Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

He threaded long strong fingers through her satiny pink hair, dragged lips and tongue along the smooth column of her neck. "No more talking…just…" He breathed her in. "…_feel_…"

And as he stroked, burned hot kisses and touches onto her skin, onto her bruised and beautiful lips, as she dived over the edge, crashed and shattered into a million little pieces in his arms, whispered sweet nothings and _I love you _into his ear, Itachi knew he'd never get enough of his cherry blossom come to life…knew he'd never let his little forest sprite go.

* * *

**_...end…_**

* * *

**A/N:** Damn, I'm such a sucker for happy endings. Alas, there's nothing this ridiculous author can do about it. I blame it on my fickle muse. I do however want to thank everyone for giving TAWB a chance. For reading. For reviewing. For everything. Much thanks and appreciation.

_-from both my Muse and I_

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